Sacrifice for a Lost Cause
by jolivira
Summary: After talking with her wise masters, Korra decides to open all of her seven chakras through meditation. Taking avatar Aang's example, Korra shall face this journey alone, in hope of finally being able to reconnect with her long lost past lives. Are the avatars of old still burried deep inside of her? Is it really possible to see them again after the battle with Vaatu?
1. Introduction

Introduction.

Korra would never, in her 35 year old sane mind, say she cared about the all 'famous swamp'. Of course, it presented great spiritual influence and the center of their known world, it demanded respect. And yes, it was there that she was able to unblock her energy, during some of the darkest times of her PTSD. Probably for the same exact reasons, Korra had a hard time being back there.

On the other hand, she had drastically changed since her early twenties: first and foremost, Korra now had a much more common habit of visiting the nations' regions and checking on their people. It had shown to be working out greatly for everyone involved. The emergencies were better taken care of and fewer and farther between; the citizens were growing closer to their avatar and, in return, she found herself learning a lot with them, each passing day. Eventually, Korra was also forced to grow used to places she didn't particularly like. She had seen such as old temples carved with might in the tallest mountains imaginable; the busy and always _extremely_ noisy Sing Se, with its seemingly unending conflicts; royal fire castles, built around actual active volcanoes even. They all had people that needed their Avatar, in one way or the other.

Korra was also learning to (or at least trying her best to) view the whole world as her home. After all, during some of her 'recovery days' she got to see some ugly sides of humanity. The Earth nation ended up taking most of that to blame, as if consciously trying to prove to the avatar what a mess it was in. Korra saw people dying of sickness and hunger, and the high population density didn't do any other than harm. Sadly, issues such as those could not be fixed by martial arts and bending alone, similarly to her own mental conflicts.

It had been her identity for some of her worst memories, moving around in the Earth nation. Sleeping in dirty streets, picking fights in bad neighborhoods, only to watch the worst of people be brought out in bars and taverns. The surprise was, in the end, how much she had actually learned with this suffering. Around her 30th birthday, Korra started thinking of how her life experiences had shaped who she was, specially the more traumatizing events. She would often think of the said 'villains' she had faced and would constantly _fail_ at coming to a conclusion, only making it more troubling for the next time she chose to think about them. It was easier to just leave some thoughts aside.

It had made her grow up in many ways, and now, that's what the nations were becoming for her: powerful memories to be used and articulated. All of that growth and inspirational talk, and yet, something in that _stinky_ swamp made her feel uncomfortable and out of place like nothing else could.

It wasn't that horrible in the practical sense of the word. Many spirits had chosen to live in the swamp, and they showed to be very interesting and curious creatures, for the most part. And since very few people lived there, there was never an actual need for Korra to visit. Nevertheless, the last time had been enough: stuff seemed to stick to her skin, dirtying and ripping her clothes. The air was pretty clean but humid and far too warm compared to the Water Tribe. The ground purely consisted of vines, water and mud; once again, the opposite of her birth place, which was filled with snow and ice. The sun was almost directly above it, but with so many trees and plants it was never bright enough to see your way clearly around, the atmosphere was mysterious and just plain creepy.

After being called to a nearby village to help with usual seasonal floods, Korra decided to pay a visit to master Toph. Like many people, she was completely bonkers but unlike many people, Toph actually _enjoyed_ living in that place.

The first time Korra arrived in the swamp, she had been so very lost and so very alone. Fifteen years ago she had been in her lowest point, unable to trust her own mind. Master Toph had played a big part in that and, eventually, Korra learned how to embrace her new self, seeing it wouldn't be leaving any time soon. She wasn't one to talk much master Toph, at least with Korra she wasn't. When asked why she had left her incredible and prosperous city so suddenly, the only answer Korra got was "I do whatever the fuck I want" and a hard shove on her stomach. And that was that.

Once she reached the old tree (how Toph could call that a home, Korra couldn't fathom), master Toph acted _exactly_ as the previously expected. No more, no less. The old lady grabbed the moonshine brought to her as a gift first, deciding to leave any talking for later. After a few cups of booze, the questions started coming quickly: Toph wanted to know about her family (Opal, Lin and Suyin primarily). She went on bickering about the Beifongs and how she still had the image of her father in mind, and the stupid decisions he had made in her childhood.

"And you never went back to to your parents?"

"Of course I didn't!" Was the angry answer she got. "They treated me as a defenseless puppy, and I would just come home and say 'hey so I was just hanging out with my friends, we took out this imperialist dictatorship, helping to end this world war that has been going on'? Try 'n use some of that brain of yours, twinkle toes."

The air nomads came up in the conversation some moment after. One person sure to do anything in her power to protect those people without a second thought in mind, was definitely master Toph. She had always held a soft spot for Tenzin and the air kids. Besides, she had seen it develop since it was just avatar Aang, trying to rebuild his once thought lost culture. Of course she would want to keep them safe at all costs.

Soon enough, Korra was being shooed away from that home. Toph was 'too tired to think any more'. And it didn't hurt Korra at all. Thinking it through, master Toph had every reason to be cranky and rude to others. The woman was around 105 years of age, anyone can agree that everything gets tiring at that point. That woman had done so much, heck, she had invented a whole new bending category when she was a little kid. Let her swear and act crazy all she wants, she deserves at least that by now. She wondered if she would turn out to be like that as an old lady too.

It was getting dark anyway, Korra just wanted to leave before the swamp got any more creepy.

Something made her stop instantly. A loud splash ringed in Korra's ears, clearing any thoughts that might've been crossing her mind. She felt her muscles tensing, her feet were now firm on the swamp's ground, preparing her stance. Animal and nature noises were one thing, that common buzzing and constant movement. This was very different. She didn't hear it as much as she had _felt_ the strange noise, as weird as it sounded. It didn't seem to have come from the running water around her. It had simply occurred, as if from another world, trying to break through the muddy ground and giving up on the last possible moment, scattering, hiding away.

Korra coldly scanned her surroundings, expecting to find spirits or maybe even a wild beast that could be causing the noise and, therefore, some added trouble for her. A few more steps and her eyes caught ghostly shadows right behind her back, crawling, sliding in the water. She turned around, flexing her right fist as yellow fire energy started to gather, warming her fingers, ready for a direct fire attack. Again, she didn't exactly see the movement, she had felt it somehow.

This was exactly why she abominated this place. Everything there was always so ominous.

Korra was very taken back as she saw a young boy's image emerge instead. He had appeared without warning and in less than an instant, before her eyes and at the same time from the dark shadow of before. He wore green traditional clothes, obviously of Earth nation descent, though it was dark to see much more. His hair was messy and dirty, worn, much like the rest of his appearance. Korra had grown accustomed with this appearance, desensitized you could say. Her thoughts flew to her first meeting with Kai, and all the dirt poor kids she would constantly see around in the cities. This one could be no more than 11 years old taken by his short stature. Before Korra could approach and try to understand who (or what) he was, the boy's image flickered and disappeared, like a cutting gust of wind to her skin. Could a spirit be messing with her? But why pretend to be a human boy of all things? No, that wasn't it.

A few meters to her right, a new image materialized from down below: this time a fully grown woman shot up on one of the swamp's flattened rocks. Her skin was a tad darker and she was looking up, unmoving like the boy had been, as if waiting for something, frozen in time. Korra turned once again, to try and decipher these….beings. She noticed, a moment later, that the woman had no arms; her silhouette was solely based on her earth attire and her tied up hair. She couldn't just be a random figure created by a spirit. Her clothes and features were too detailed and she looked like a very real person. Korra felt an ache in her spine as she became frozen as well, hurting and nervous all of a sudden. Were these somebody's memories? But why did she have so many sensory responses to them, like pain and tingles?

Another splash sounded loudly and the woman's figure dissolved on the ground, unmercifully falling back into the shadows. Korra followed it with her eyes as it moved to where she was silently standing, watching still. Korra looked down to her feet and a new figure in the water appeared. Just to prove there was no pattern to these images, this one (unlike the others) was _unmistakably_ recognizable: long flowy hair, beautiful makeup applied to her face, red and white paint carefully added, green warrior clothes, a proud and powerful posture. The adored, and just as well feared, Avatar Kyoshi.

Korra's heart seemed to painfully jump out of her chest as the realization came down to her. These were _her_ memories. Kyoshi was one of the biggest symbols of the raw power of the avatar spirit. The three figures, they were all avatars, she could see that clearly now. But why?... How? And it was all happening far too quickly to understand.

As soon as Korra focused on looking down again there was no more Kyoshi, as if completely forgotten. Once again. "No, no...please.." she managed to get out. That was the closest she had gotten to the past avatars in a long while. Even counting before she had lost them, Aang had only been able to send her some images and broken messages. Never she had been able to communicate or share of their ancient wisdom. What else to expect from a spiritual failure? Was the swamp trying to tell her something? Or simply laughing over her tortured loss? All her feelings, pain she learned how to keep in control, they exploded at once.

After suffering and hardships, Korra had managed to reconnect with Raava as best as she could. She entered the avatar state when in physical danger and she was a proper master of all the elements, the basic foundation of the avatar was there. Harmonic Convergence had confused everyone, but one thing was quite clear: the old avatar cycle had been destroyed. The avatar's lives were now told only in books and statues in roting temples. Their wisdom did not exist in this world anymore, and Korra would _never_ forgive herself for that. It was, after all, her fault even the battle with Vaatu itself.

She kneeled down in the water where she had seen her recent past life, angry for answers. Nothing, nothing, absolutely _nothing_ was left of Kyoshi. Korra sighed, holding in a sob. She tried her best not to cry like a confused dumb child, helplessly sitting on mud and water. Another ghostly noise soared through the swamp and this time Korra followed it instantly, no hesitance in her body as she used all of her agility and power in the chase. With a yelp she climbed vines and bended the air below to reach the source of the noise. She found no shadows, no avatars. When she got to the top of a tree branch, far in the distance above, Korra only saw a small spirit:

"You?!" Absolutely nothing was making sense in her mind at this point. With wide eyes, Korra directed her words to the yellow, fluffy spirit, who she had met before also around the same swamp.

"Hi avatar." The leaf spirit just continued to look at her, completely unaware of her questioning tone. Korra struggled for a few seconds trying to choose what to ask first, and how not to sound too rude.

"Can you-... Do you-" she was practically panting now from the adrenaline. "What is happening here?"

"You mean, your avatar connection?" It flew over to her shoulder as in greeting, giving it a little nudge. This leaf spirit was the most friendly Korra had met yet. It usually wanted to help and did a good job at it, but it was so vague and _unaware_ of common human behaviour. Like answering questions properly.

"But that's impossible….. Vaatu destroyed all the past avatars when he absorbed Raava."

"They are always a part of you, avatar. The swamp does not understand time, the roots to the earth element brought them to you." The yellow spirit started to lower and float down to the muddy humid ground again, somehow feeling it had explained everything clearly.

"No, hold on!" Korra jumped down too, she followed its pace easily keeping up. "I never heard of a child avatar besides Aang! And what about that armless lady?!"

"Yes, she did die a long long time ago." And it continued gliding through vines, unbothered. Spirits didn't even _try_ to make sense sometimes. Korra continued, resisting the strong urge to kick something along the way.

Suddenly it all stopped, and it was like the swamp gave her advice, an old one no doubt. Was it a warning maybe? She couldn't tell, her mind was just as foggy as the place around her. Words echoed through her mind, distant, too close to being lost. _'In the swamp, we see visions of people we've lost, folks we think are gone. But the swamp tells us they're not. We're still connected to them. Time is an illusion and so is death.'_ That boy was also a part of her. Time disconsidered... her future then? Could he be the second avatar of this new cycle? He was in such a bad condition back there, it only made Korra more nervous.

They walked (or flew, in the spirit's case) a few more meters, further deep into vines. The leaf spirit turned back to look her dead in eye, no hesitance and silent. Korra took it as her cue to ask more, at least for some advice:

"Is it possible to get them back? My…..my past lives?" it had been so long since she had last used this expression, this exact way, with this meaning. Ever since the battle with Vaatu, so many years ago, everyone started avoiding the phrase. Korra herself had stopped referring to the old avatars. She had missed it a lot to be quite honest. A flicker of hope ached in her chest, barely able to keep control.

"It won't be easy, you know. The boy failed when he tried to control the avatar state through it."

"Wha-what do you mean?! Through what?" Korra tried to stay patient and consider the spirit's words. She waited for an answer as the spirit decided it would be walking from now on. They stepped through a particular big tree root. Korra was actually considered just leaving and forgetting all of this, but she needed some form of a decent answer.

"The one before you. The avatar opened six using meditation, but he failed the last one. I remember well that guru." Now it was apparent the leaf spirit had grown tired of the conversation. It just started floating away, disappearing in the air.

"Wait, wait!" Korra knew he wouldn't be speaking of this anymore, but she had to make sure she could at least ask for help again. This spirit was a reliable and a very kind friend, all things considered. "I never know what to call you." She said with a crooked (and a little sad) smile.

"I'm Tum." He was very far now, his voice light, with a sincere faint laughter. It soared in a way, warming up the strange atmosphere of the swamp.

"And you could start calling me just 'Korra' by now." He vanished as soon as the last word was spoken.

* * *

It took the airship two days to get to Republic City, which was a big relief. With Naga the trip would take around five full days. And in the state Korra was in at the moment she couldn't handle even one more hour. Once she had given up searching for any other leads in the swamp, an urgent message was sent, the avatar had requested three important subjects and a meeting, as soon as she could reach Air Temple Island.

In the meantime, Korra was quite literally a mess. What little rest she got had not been nearly enough to get rid of the dark lines under her eyes. Thoughts wouldn't leave her mind alone, her body cells seemed nervous and unsure with the situation, her energy seemed stuck on a problem. There had been no chance to clean up, her bindings and clothes were messy and dirty, her hair had been tied up in a ponytail a long time ago. The airship was luxurious, no question. But it was a luxury in matters of transportation, not housing. Among Korra, representatives and leaders of different regions were headed to Republic City, each one with their own important reason. There was too much on her mind to register the passengers' faces.

Korra showed no hesitation once she saw the big city outline through the window. The sky was gloomy and grey, some buildings were already lighting up with yellow lights, the slums had fewer lights, depending solely on candles. And of course, there was the spirit portal just in the center of the spirit wilds with its respective creatures roaming around.

She quickly reached for the blue glider and ran across the airship; some heads turned around but no one in their right mind would try to stop the actual avatar. Korra carefully metalbent the ceiling for an opening, closing it up once she was outside the metal giant. A strong blast of wind was felt in all parts of her body, giving her a notice of where she stood, her feet loosened up as she felt the clear air high above, she sighed.

In a few airbending _swoops_ she was freely gliding around the bright buildings and skyscrapers. Some favorable air currents later and Korra was hovering the famous Air Temple in no time. She retracted the glider in mid-air, and as her body began to accelerate down her legs and feet tensed, changing her stances, and with some earthbending Korra was able to land smoothly on the temple's floors. Her mind was far from clear but she knew this place like no other; Korra took off running directly to master Tenzin's office, next to the meditation pavilion where the airbenders where free to roam and use. She heard muffled 'hellos' and greetings, but Korra was exploding with energy, she didn't have time to shout an answer back.

She thought of Naga who was somewhere around the island, probably messing around with young airbenders. The adorned sliding door was opened before she could even register what was happening, taking a look inside Korra saw the three people she desperately needed:

Like most of the rooms of the air nomads, Tenzin's was spacious and had very few walls. The ones that were standing were made of paper and outlined with wood, to better adjust with their living style and mentality. There were absolutely no tables or chairs, only wood cushions and some paper scrolls around the room. On the pillars leading to the rest of the structure, paintings of air bisons and clouds filled the space, along with a gingling curtain of beads.

The first person she saw was master Tenzin himself. He had his simple usual attire, orange and red folds covered the floor around him. He held in his hands a small adorned teapot, apparently serving jasmine tea to those extremely fragile teacups that airbenders seemed to love so much. On his right, in a very similar way was his eldest daughter. Master Jinora had a collar much like Korra's: she carried brown beads and the air symbol on her chest, showing she was the spiritual leader of her people. Her clothes still differed a lot from Tenzin's somehow, she had a tight yellow top around her chest and no shoes on. The blue of the tattoos looked much more alive as well.

And of course, the third person to be summoned to the meeting. Asami Sato was wearing her work clothes: baggy and worn pants, tight boots that almost reached her knees, and a simple ragged white top. She was an important figure of Republic City, prime engineer of Future Industries (a company she was also the CEO of), the math teacher in two respectable universities; not to mention, director of the shelters for women and rape victims spread around the city. Also, she was the avatar's girlfriend. She was, unsurprisingly, the first one to acknowledge Korra's arrival:

"What the _hell_ did you do?" was the offered greeting, along with a teasing smirk.

It took Korra a few seconds to remember she had to move her mouth and give an answer "Hey, I missed you too" she said, still standing in the door, heavy breathing and eyes wide.

"Hi Korra!" Jinora had a big smile on her face, voice deep and meaningful as always. She laid down the cup she had just taken a sip from and raised her left hand, to say another quick and excited 'hi'.

"Korra. How was your trip to the Earth Nation?" Tenzin's low and calming voice soared through the open room. He gestured for her to sit in the last cushion placed, robes consciously moving along.

"That's _exactly_ what I called you guys for." Korra said, with a strong voice as well. She sat cross legged as the sentence caught everyone's attention. "I saw Kyoshi."

"Wait, what?" Jinora was the first to ask, curiosity and incredibility shown on her young features.

"Like, not in flesh and bone but I saw her reflection when I was at the swamp."

"You know the swamp is famous for illusions, Korra." her old master's tone was unshaken, he was still holding the tiny teacup. "Don't you think it was just a vision?"

"Oh no, I'm a hundred percent sure it was just a vision. But the thing is, two other avatars appeared and when I asked the leaf spirit-"

"Hold on, you saw three avatars then?" Jinora leaned forward.

"Yes. I had never heard of them before, but after Kyoshi showed up I was sure they were all avatars."

"And this... leaf spirit?" said Asami, focused on trying to make some sense of Korra's confused reports.

"It's the third time I encounter with it. I asked what was happening and it said that I would always have the connection with them. With the avatars, I mean." Disappointment washed through everyone's faces with the realization of where this talk was going. All three of them had consistently and exhaustively debated all the possibilities, ever since Harmonic Convergence, around 15 years ago. Tenzin chose to consolate her first, slightly changing his tone:

"Korra, listen. I know you still blame yourself, but Vaatu-"

"No no, that's exactly it. We haven't tried everything; we just decided to _ignore_ the problem and let it go. The leaf spirit gave me some hints and I need your help to figure out what he was talking about." Korra looked to each pair of eyes. They were all waiting for her to continue. "When I asked about the past avatars, to get my past lives back, it got super vague. The spirit just said that the boy before me tried and failed in some sort of ritual. That he opened six using meditation." No one dared to break the new formed silence, so she just added her theory. "I- I assumed it was Aang the spirit was talking about, but I need your help."

Master Jinora and master Tenzin exchanged very visible and nervous glances. They seemed to have come to a silent agreement when the young woman nodded firmly, shoulders and posture tense, she looked down.

"What is it?" Patience had never been (would probably never be) one of Korra's virtues.

"We think it was talking about chakras." Jinora's voice was clear and tight, resonating in the open room. "Grandfather Aang tried to open them, to master the avatar state. But he decided to stop on the last one to save grandmother." She gave Asami a nervous sideway look.

"Sifu Katara?"

"Yes." Tenzin was also skeptical now for some reason. "It's not a very famous story. You see, many gurus have achieved enlightenment by opening all the chakras of the body. It was suggested to Aang as a last resort, but he was only a 12 year old."

"It's kind of... a ceremony." added Jinora.

"And it can re-connect you to the past avatars?" Asami directed the question to Korra, well-knowing how important this whole situation was becoming.

"We are not sure. In theory, _yes._ The avatar is a manifestation of Raava and a human spirit combined in harmony. If the lives are to be connected forever, if the soul of the avatar itself can is never actually altered, by opening your chakras you might be able to unlock them."

"I still don't understand what it is."

"Chakras are energy points." Tenzin lifted his left hand and pointed to the blue arrow on his forehead. "These tattoos are not only to identify our people. They connect our spirit with airbending, to clear the energy path in our bodies. There is a reason only true masters earn the tattoos: their power demands concentration and effort, hard work, otherwise they would just be normal ink on the skin and have no real effect."

"Everyone has seven of them, whether they are flowing or not. From the base of your spine to the top of your head." Jinora pointed to the head crown, motioning to the tattoos that followed down her neck. "Each one has a very particular stance: an element, a symbol, a name, a special animal and even a proper climate."

"But what do I need to do? Have you two gone through this ritual too?"

"Not completely or directly. Throughout your life, you can occasionally open and close them, depending on feelings and events. _This_ makes sure they all maintain open, clear at once. Jinora and I can write down a list for you, but we also need to give a warning, Korra."

"We aren't sure what the exact effects will be to you. Many avatars, benders and non-benders have successfully opened all the chakras." Jinora sighed "But, similarly to what father said, there is a reason not everyone does it. It can't be forced upon and it's not a simple process."

"It's meditating. Until you are able to achieve complete detachment from earth, to let your spirit roam free of all and any tethers. Each guru recorded had their own approach in the ritual but the idea remains the same. You focus on one at a time and work your way up, prioritizing the chakra you face, in the right moment, at the right place."

As good as it all was sounding, there was always a catch. Korra looked up and mentally braced herself. "And what is the warning about?" She folded her arms and hugged herself lightly to get some sense of comfort.

"Each chakra will claim something from inside of you. At the very same time, it will _demand_ you to leave something else behind. The last one in special is very tricky and there is no magic solution. To complete the ceremony you will have to lose a lot, to equally compensate the gain." explained Tenzin in his mysterious, airbending ways.

"Will I have my past lives again?" she asked calmly and clearly.

"Yes." Jinora decided on the spot, with genuine certainty.

"It's solved then. I can't afford to be selfish right now." Korra got up, flexing her arms and stomach in concentration. She reviewed all the information shared, balancing all possible outcomes. She walked to leave the office, heading for her old room and to prepare for yet another change.

Naga's saddle was ready, equipped with small food rations and her ragged packing bag. Jinora had instructed for her not to carry much, as the journey's focus was her spirit and mind only. The sun was coming down quickly, warm shadows were still spreading along the island's coast. Orange and pink danced along frozen branches and dancing kites, maneuvered by some of the younger airbenders.

Heavy steps echoed through the patio floor, after a quick look over her shoulder Korra spotted Asami. She was empty handed, only with a very unclear smile present, her black hair was glowing with the beautiful lights cast by sunset, a kite and two flying lemurs flew some meters from her head. She got closer and scoped Korra in her arms, hugging her from behind. Normally their height difference was an opportunity for jokes and laughter, now it was just familiar comfort that they both were in need of.

"You're not forgetting anything?" Asami's voice was raspy in her ears, but sweet, to properly accompany the beautiful background.

Korra tilted her head, accepting the embrace and now facing Asami more directly. "I hope not." Silence. The rest of the day at Air Temple Island had been purely information for Korra to understand and remember. Instructions, educated guesses, discussion, demonstrations. Each one of the chakras had been explained in great detail; the two masters showed Korra the proper meditation forms, how the correct mudras could aid and what each part of the body represented in this context. She asked all questions she had but not everything could be properly explained.

"You know what this means, don't you?" Hesitancy was painfully obvious in Korra's voice, sad even. Asami only pulled her closer. The world stood still for a moment, giving enough time for their hug. She did not give an answer as this was, most certainly, not a goodbye.


	2. Earth

EARTH. Root chakra

Walking through the desert was getting harder with each passing minute. Korra was trying her best to guide Naga, and although the sun wasn't up anymore, the polar bear-dog's skin was too thick and pools of sweat were slowering her down greatly.

The journey in and out of itself had started bumpily: Korra still wasn't sure of _what_ she had to look for exactly. It was initially Asami's idea to start at the desert; it was located in the center of the Earth Nation, a clear exhibition of the respective people's strong culture. By what Korra understood of the lecture, chakras could technically be opened anywhere, but by connecting and understanding better its nature, the easier it would be to succeed on the task. She had been studying the list given to her, with possible places and weather she could follow for each one.

Taking Naga to the Great Desert was almost cruel to the animal, but she had stubbornly refused to stay behind in the Misty Palms. It wasn't very effective to challenge a fully grown polar bear-dog. After some hours of marching, a single old tree appeared in their blurred line of vision. Korra pushed the reigns and (showing great uncertainty) decided to finally stop. Dust was lifted up with the last of Naga's heavy steps and Korra jumped down, her warm boots reaching the dirt below. Her skin was covered in layers of dirt and sand, Naga's white fur had now a brown gradient from her paws.

The mentioned tree showed to be incredibly dry, standing half-dead among the sand dunes. The branches were thick and singular, as if begging the skies above for some rain. Naga shook her body, the fat and muscles of her neck moved heavily to all sides, her floppy ears going along. Earth and sand flew from the animal's fur as she laid down next to the charred roots of the lonely tree. Korra glanced around, analyzing the place, trying to get to a conclusion. Was this the place she needed to be? What if she sat down and nothing happened? With a short sight, she dropped to her knees and took in the yellow horizon.

With the words of her masters in mind, Korra crossed her legs in full lotus position (the same way she did when entering the spirit world) and meditated based on what she had learned about the first chakra. The mudra _lam_ consisted of resting each hand on a knee, simply touching the index finger and the thumb together. In and out.

The sound of movement caught her ears immediately, the desert seemed to be shifting with great effort. Blinking at the sand getting in her eyes, Korra tried to understand what was taking shape in front of her. Sand was coolly falling and sliding down the dune, with a few trembles and shuffling of the floor, the head of an elephant appeared, emerging from the ground. The image was blurry, but soon enough a red colored elephant looked directly at her. Ears, trunk and carved ivory, all still slightly shifting with the wind, like ocean waves evaporating in a warm day at the beach.

Korra watched as a shining symbol appeared in the forehead of the animal, dragging the light inwards, to inside it's head. She had never seen something like it before, it could be a spirit's emblem, probably related to her task. She carefully opened her mind to the meditation: the first chakra was blocked by fear and hesitation, highlighting the importance of basis and foundation. She let her thoughts run free, several ideas passed through her, still too confusing.

As the thought crossed her mind, a new image took form, much closer to Korra this time. A breezing draft gathered sand around and, in just mere seconds she was sitting directly across another woman. She was of average size, her green robes were tightly laced around her torso with brown leather strings. Her hair was black, tied with a green band, and her features sharp, but welcoming in a curious way. The woman was in the same lotus position but with closed eyes. Fact: she had no arms, short sleeves hung uselessly from her clothes.

By now it was too impossible to be just a mere coincidence, that was certainly the earth avatar she had seen on the swamp. Korra squinted at her appearance, imagining the origins and meanings of the symbols detailed in her robe, sort of primitive compared to their new age. She felt a desperate need to talk to this woman, to ask her about her experiences, her life, her time. A sinking feeling came to Korra, a hurt in her chest. The sand- elephant was definitely a spirit, guiding her to the right direction, maybe Raava was trying to do the same bringing her memories of the old avatars.

Korra tried focusing on her fears. Thinking of her weaknesses and disadvantages, Korra tried to locate what was blocking this chakra. What was she scared of?

A new light came from the elephant, at the same moment as it raised it's trunk making a strong trumpet sound. Sand began to cascade down its ears. The markings on its head were changing, glowing and messy. She saw arms, legs and heads, trying to get free from the light; desperately, angrily, hopelessly. One of the forms seemed to have taken control. One jump and a humanoid figure flew from the red light, escaping from the messy forms. A masked, hooded men, looking down on her with absolute hatred, fist closed for an attack. Amon had been the first real threat of the world, Korra had faced him as a 17 year old, lost and inexperienced. And there had been consequences. So many of them.

Amon jumped from the high ground that he stood, his feet landed on the ground with unexpected lightness, grey robes flowing in the wind, dissipating in the air. As the man slowly looked up again he presented a bald head, white faded scars and aggressive eyes that truly made Korra flinch. Her breath hitched. Zaheer took off with an impulse that indeterminately shook their surroundings; flight, an ability that he still held to this day. Korra felt her heart beating fast, suffocating her lungs. Zaheer took a sharp turn in mid-flight, his form morphed into of yet another man, glowing in red, gold and black. Another zap in the air and looking at her with shiny, ancient symbols, was now Vaatu, the spirit of chaos itself.

Korra looked to the peaceful avatar in front of her, indifferent to all those visions, trying to take courage from the armless lady. She breathed in and decided to speak up, using the truest words she could think of:

"I am afraid of human beings, of the power they can have, of the influence they can use for evil. How different we can be and how much harm we can do or suffer from. I got over my past battles but they still haunt me. I still fear these people, no matter what I tell myself. I will not be free until I find a way to understand that they belong to my past, not my future."

A wind burst from the dune, like a dam had just been broken in the spiritual world, Vaatu was forcibly sucked back into the elephant. The avatar's eyes opened glowing in white, the sand around them shook visibly, Korra felt her spine tensing up.

"My name is Lishiamo." Her voice was high pitched, her green eyes glared in determination behind the white glow. Pure and raw strength emanated from her. "Young avatar, you have survived from each and every of these fights. You are safe and that safety is something you can rely on, trusting your own natural instinct. Fear is the bodily mechanism of warning and protection, it is necessary for human beings. You cannot let it take over you, as in the place you are right now, physically and mentally, you can defeat _anything_. Use that as your basis, always, and trust your abilities."

Behind them, the elephant was overflowing in dirt again, just as soundly like the first time. Lishiamo kept her gaze at Korra and continued, lightly furthering the subject:

"You have triggered the start of your journey, young avatar, you have liberated the first point of energy flow in your body. Now that you have taken the challenge and begun, do not even consider stopping. I believe you have instructed yourself of the consequences and risks, but remember: you shall not give up, no matter how challenging and scary. You are not controlled by fear anymore, do not doubt yourself." Lishiamo's eyes scanned the desert, laying on the tree that had attracted Korra to that special place. "In my time, this tree was considered a symbol of strength in our lands. It has grown five times the size it was back then, and even if it looks dead to an outsider, we know that it will continue to grow and fight for survival in this unforgiving land. With time and dedication it can reach the skies. That is the mantra that I had kept everyday of my life, and eventually I gained universal respect as the avatar figure of the people. Listen to this advice: see the world with the highest accuracy possible, do not rely on luck, but on your own faithful structure."

She breathed in and closed her eyes. Two red lights flashed, mindlessly flying in Korra's direction. It reached her spine and after no hesitation it was gone, no after effects on the desert. Only the single dry tree, Naga snoring on the side and her sitting down figure. Her breathing returned to normal as she looked at the sun. The scene was so peaceful she wouldn't dare disrupt it. They waited until sunset, just like Korra's gut told her to.


	3. Water

WATER. Sacral Chakra

 _"Nobody knows exactly how it was built_ _…._ _or why. It's actually closer to the_ _Northern_ _Air Temple than the Water Tribe itself. I got to see the place only once, in fact...very well hidden" She had a habit of emphasizing each word she spoke._

 _"Do you think it's crowded with spirits now?"_

 _"Probably, my dear. All kinds one can see in their dreams. Moving the ponds, protecting the statues... Though, I don't think any outsiders have had the pleasure of discovering it yet. We made sure to tell absolutely n_ _obody_ _about the cave. It may still be there, intact."_

 _"Isn't that a nice thought..." she looked down to her legs, they lay numb and completely still on the wheelchair. Unable of any kind of movement._

 _"Would you like another cup of tea, Korra?"_

From where she was mounted, Korra could feel Naga's paws squeezing the snow below. They were both in a joyful mood, surrounded by the cold, typical of the poles. Funny what they considered as familiar: air cut through her face, Korra depended on blue furs (and Naga's thick fuzz once in a while) for warmth, the last time they encountered another living being had been seven hours ago. But above all, despite the similarities to their home, the Northern Water Tribe still felt different in a lot of ways.

With enough concentration Korra could sense earth, far beneath them, but there. Whereas in the South it was clear water all the way down, along with glaciers and icebergs. Some years ago she wouldn't have given it a second thought, now she was so much more in touch with their world, their -not so simple- existence. Korra felt Raava's free, unstoppable presence inside; the elements revealed themselves with slight, indiscernible glow and movement. In a way it all came to her, little by little. More and more each time she tried.

Continuing further to the white horizon, Naga's tail still wagging constantly, finally the time arrived that Korra could see lined up figures in the distance. According to Mater Katara's words, there were about 12 small statues leading to the entrance; all of them a little broken, showing the passage of times. To the best extent of her memory, Korra recognized the bulky figures leading to the same direction: in the ground there lay a tall entrance to a cave, rooted to black rocks and ice in varying forms. There should be no mistaking that this was the ancient temple.

Getting down from Naga's adorned and equipped saddle, Korra approached the statues adjusting her collar. The polar bear-dog ran excitedly around them for a fraction of time, she stretched her back legs and shook her big torso forcefully; ears, neck, chest, belly to the tip of her tail. If they weren't alone in the middle of nowhere she would have made many people angry, no doubt.

With three movements of her arms, Korra cleared all the snow blocking the statues with delicacy. Sadly, they were no longer recognizable. In the past they would have displayed animals and spirits of different origins, now they were crumbled standing rocks. That did not took their beauty away, not in the slightest.

Taking a sharp breath, Korra followed the ice and found herself in a curved landslide. Far above her head stood undetermined rocks of different sizes, as if for protection, all well-balanced by the base of the cave.

As she descended on the tall entrance, the woman was hearing less of the cold wind as, very gradually, came to her the sound of splashing water. There was a river somewhere in that cave. Which also proved: Korra had made a good choice following her raw instincts about this next location.

After subconsciously turning to her right, Korra was now standing in a marvelous underground den. The sound of running water surrounded her senses now, all very familiar even if the place still had a quite mystical feeling to it. Soon, she discovered a shallow river that covered the hut's floor completely, even if still very shallow. She opted on tiptoeing around the pieces of rock and ice -which complemented each other on the flow of waters.

The closer she got to the other side, more she felt the mysticality; sounds, smell, the slight movements.

Korra sat down on a layered black rock and settled for meditation, feeling it was the next step. Deep breath, exhale, absorbing all those sensitive reactions. She tried her best to get in the lotus form and linked her hands. She placed the right hand over her left, connecting the thumbs as of a bridge, following what Jinora had explained. The mudra Vam came to her when she relaxed, her hands just below her bellybutton.

She sensed smooth vibrations in the water around her, an animal approached and she tried her best to identify it. A glistening sleek tail marked the start of the animal, it's face presented cracked scales and big white teeth in an undoubtedly strong jaw. Even knowing it was a spirit, Korra was careful to only observe with silent eyes.

Swimming in circles around her was a large, fish-tailed crocodile. It took two perfectly timed turns in the water and Korra felt her body react: her core muscles throbbed, at the same time all her fingers and toes curled inwards autonomously.

The fish-crocodile erupted out of the water in a swift jump; almost no water went up the air but a figure appeared just after. Korra noticed heavy water tribe furs and a necklace, similar to the one she wore herself. A past avatar, probably from the North.

The woman displayed old features, much like the statues that lead to the cave. Gray strands of hair lay braided across the woman's shoulders, so long that they reached down to the end of her spine. Her furs were laced with narrow rope, cut and carved to the form of symbols and written passages. She sat meditating in the same position, but she was looking down and had her eyes closed. If Korra had to guess she'd say the woman was around 150 years old at least.

She cleared her mind. The second chakra is blocked by guilt, she thought, what did Korra felt guilty over? What did she blame herself for?

The fish-crocodile reappeared and with a sweep of his tail the image of the back of a man was created. He had airbending robes, meditation beads and arrow-shaped tattoos. As he turned, Aang was staring back at her with a scowl on his face. Korra took another deep breath and released all that she was feeling.

Aang had died for Korra to come to this world. His family, his people, his wife; they were all left behind, ripped of their guide. As if not enough, Korra spent her early years out of touch with that presence, in a complete spiritual loss, only to have all of the avatar wisdom locked away when she was only nineteen. Ten thousand years of experience were lost. How would Aang even want to look at her when she had failed that much? Her waste was too great compared to her wins.

The fish-crocodile finished another turn, and two different men appeared simultaneously. Tenzin had his arms crossed and a simple look of pity in his eyes. The other was Zaheer, grey robes tied around his chest. It was almost funny how similar they could be for an uninformed person, yet how opposite they were in truth. It had taken Korra much longer than necessary to learn even the _basics_ of airbending; it was like the world wanted to prove how far from Aang she would always be.

Tenzin was always patient during that learning stage, and Korra couldn't even place into words how much she loved the airbending family. However, she clearly remembered the nights at Air temple Island. Nights she would cry alone in her bed, the thought of the airbenders' deep disappointment keeping her awake.

Zaheer's influence was obviously worse: he had damaged her so badly -physically and mentally- that Korra ran away to the South Pole and stayed hidden for three years. She hid from everyone, too afraid to show more of her weakness. All the while, the world faced a big threat with their avatar practically lost.

"I feel guilty over my failures and the awful consequences that they brought." Her voice was sore, echoing through the empty and cold cave. "Innocent people suffered from situations that could've been avoided. That I could have stopped"

With her words, Aang's adult body fell with weight, splashing a few drops of the shallow water stream. He was dead cold. Korra continued.

"I blocked myself over and over again, blocking the world's energy along with me. Then, because of my own mistakes, I lost all my past lives at once. Only now, fifteen years later, I'm trying to fix that. Just like airbending...I'm guilty of my weaknesses, when they manage to show themselves to other people."

The upsetting forms of Aang, Tenzin and Zaheer traveled to the old lady sitting in front of Korra. The three men fused in light, casting a bright orange, and they disappeared inside her. The old lady's eyes snapped open with the glow of the avatar state.

Korra watched in pure amazement as the old woman's figure began to morph, just before her eyes: her gray braid got shorter and more alive, approaching a dark brown shade of color in an unbelievable speed. Her shoulders and waist straightened and shrunk considerably, her face smoothed in one of a very young lady. Her clothes became plain, no sacred symbols to be displayed anymore, leaving behind only tight ropes tied with obvious laziness. She traveled about 130 years back in time, and the avatar state dissipated, as Raava gave them a few precious minutes the lady said in a raspy voice:

"My name is Yutae. I was very similar to you once." Korra's insides curled once again with the comment. Yutae gave her a jovial grin to match the situation. "Sexual intimacy is an important part of a human being. Longing and desiring are healthy in the right cases...Do not let guilt stand in the way." An image of Asami flowed down the waters. Korra felt her scent, her touches and thrusts. The sound of her whispers in the night, the tingles she felt in her skin.

"It is time to forgive yourself, young one. And see that things aren't necessarily the way you think they are. Don't forget that before becoming a hero, Aang _ran away_ from his duty. It cost him 100 years of suffering for many people. And Tenzin felt the same way as you, the times he held the title of the last airbender." Yutae looked to Asami's form, her striking blue eyes appeared nostalgic about someone. "Valuing your own body and spirit is no easy task. After my wife got hurt by northerners it took me long to reconcile with worldly feelings... It is important to learn how to be open with the world _and_ to yourself. See your embodiment in a good light..." Her image started to fade, weakly. Korra looked up. "Do not worry, we shall talk again, young one."

Yutae closed her eyes, the fish-crocodile swam in the air, forming watery circles that would float like mirages. The forms flowed to where Korra lay her hands, leaping slowly until they reached her lower abdomen. Another orange glow and Korra found herself alone in the den, a weight was lifted from her shoulders. A very heavy weight that, for so long, she hadn't even noticed was there.


	4. Fire

FIRE. Solar Plexus chakra

So far, Korra had grown used to the quiet. They found themselves in a remote island, part of the Fire Nation archipelago but isolated from the main lands. So small that when looking in whichever direction it was possible to see the sea and waves that surrounded them. Holding Naga's reins with her right hand, they marched in the direction of a few tiny red constructions. It was a volcanic island (like most in the Fire Nation) and by what she could see, a very poor one too. Places such as Ember Island or Shu Jing were popular tourist attractions; Korra had instantly felt the best option would be a place far away. This island in special was close to the Earth Nation, to the east, but still unknown to most. Practically lost in the middle of the ocean.

There were only four visible houses: made completely out of rock and wood, they now had dark shadows cast by the sunset. Korra felt weird as they silently approached them; Naga was looking to be twice the size of the tallest one. They crossed the distance fairly quickly, considering their pace.

Korra walked up to the first one and decided to simply knock on the front door, just to make sure she could use it. It was in that moment the thought crossed her mind that the houses could be, in fact, empty. The roofs were old and probably had many holes, the arches that formed the walls seemed weak, the red paint was faint, almost gone. She wondered if they belonged to natives that eventually moved out to bigger and more populated islands.

Just as she was raising her arm to open the door, her ears caught on creaking from the inside. With some more screeching the door slid open, proving her wrong. A tiny old woman had her arm against it for support as she pushed it one last time. Upon looking up to her unexpected visitor, the lady instinctively backed a step away from the door, tightly holding her chest.

Her old features were tense; her eyes, terrified. Regardless, Korra was only able to notice it upon hearing the fear in her weak voice:

"A-avatar...I..." Her amber eyes scanned Korra's figure, clearly recognizing her and avoiding eye-contact. Her head hunched down and her eyes focused on the dusty stone floor. "I-I'm sorry….I don't-….I don't understand the-the cause of-..." She tried to take a deep breath and rethink her words. Korra saw this as an opportunity to ease the situation.

"No, you don't have to be scared." Korra gave her a shy smile for reassurance. The old lady was still fidgeting and looking down though. Korra crouched a tiny bit (not wanting to disrespect the lady) until she could see her face, and tried again with a small grin. "Please. I am only here looking for a warm meal and maybe a place to rest until sunrise. I promise."

It hurt her deeply to see that someone in the Four Nations could actually fear her for being the avatar. To be fair, Korra did stand out quite a lot in this setting: she had her chest bindings, her blue ceremonial necklace and a faint tattoo on her bicep. Even not mentioning her dark skin and blue eyes, Korra was the polar opposite of the common fire nation folk. And looking back, this could be the first time an outsider ever visited. She was relieved that Naga was playing elsewhere.

The lady finally looked up. Korra adjusted and bowed her body to the elder woman, who seemed to relax a little bit with the familiar action.

"I promise not to stay for too long." She said in the same position of respect. "And I can always ask in the other houses. Are any of them empty?" She looked up.

"No, no….Of course you can come in, avatar…..I was going to start preparing for dinner anyway. Please forgive my house. As you can see... we do not have much here" She spoke inwardly, taking breaks every three words to breath. Had she ever left the tiny island? Either way they seemed to be self-sufficient.

Korra gave a command for Naga to stay out and followed the woman. Everything in the house was old and small, as if mimicking the owner after so many years of comradeship. Korra's smile grew three times making that comparison, her heart felt warmer somehow.

Although Korra was bigger than average, even among her own people in the Water nation, it was obvious she didn't properly fit inside. The roof was too small and the walls were thin. She could easily bring it all down with one movement. The house showed to be equally divided in three sections: a bedroom, a washing room and a kitchen. There were no doors. Very simple and as domestic as it could get. They walked slowly towards a table in the supposed kitchen, three cushions were placed on the floor for sitting, just like how the airbenders did.

"So, do you live by yourself here?" Korra asked as she waited for the lady to catch up.

"In this house, yes, of course. Always been…." She opened some cabinets and started moving objects. "Here in the island there are two other families and a fisherman. He goes to the neighboring region for supplies, you see."

"Makes sense." Korra decided to sit down on the flat cushion. "You need any help with the food?"

"Well, avatar...I'm-...I'm afraid I only have rice and some fish.." The lady still had concern left in her face as she spoke, her hands were trembling lightly (for fear or old age no one could tell).

"Call me Korra if you'd like. And that is not a problem! I love fish." She made sure to add.

Some more small talk later, food was prepared and dinner set. When the time to sleep arrived, Korra refused the insistence for her to use the only bed. The lady eventually gave in and wished her a good night. She came back a few minutes later and showed Korra where she kept the tea pot and her favorite leaves.

Korra chuckled at the action and layed down. Feeling the warmth come and go, she quickly fell asleep.

And soon enough, Korra was preparing for her task. It was presumably a few hours until sunrise now, just as she had planned there would be plenty of time to see around the island. She silently left the house and took in the early morning. Naga was sound asleep under a palm tree, poor girl was probably very hot with all the fur. Korra took her sattle and adornments off (regretting not having thought of that yesterday). This way the polar bear-dog could swim in the sea to cool down.

Korra followed trees to the tallest of the volcanoes and started climbing, her body welcomed the excitement and rush as she got higher and higher. It was still very dark and Korra was depending on her other senses to feel and "see" her way up. She was reaching the top in a steady pace and, some minutes later, a flicker of fire cut the air next to her, running through the dry rocks and creating bright yellow flares in the dirt. Obviously she followed them.

All of it was making her even more excited; she understood now what the rituals meant and recognized it as the expected sign. Once she reached a flat warm surface, Korra crossed her legs in full lotus position and observed the beautiful horizon that lay in front of her. She took a deep breath to steady her spirit and started the proper meditation.

For a while nothing changed. The unnatural orange flame was still pacing around, dancing; this was for sure the right place. Master Tenzin's original guess for the third chakra was actually the Sun Warriors' original village, in the west. Only Aang and Firelord Zuko knew the exact location, but Korra could look for it. Still though, it was not her journey but Aang's. She needed to find her own path.

It was now around six in the morning and the sun was beginning to rise up; greedy warm lights cast over the cold blue waves. The dancing flame was reacting to it somehow. Its glowing patterns started to mirror Korra's own breathing and as soon as the sun's form became steady, the light gradually shaped itself in a splendid animal:

She saw a lion's mane, smoldering hot like the end of a fire pit. Strong front paws were loaded with claws, an elongated face and brown horns that completed big curves around the creature's head, on pair with the hooves on the hairy back legs. Beautiful, intimidating and full of life; with each breath it released, a gulf of hot air crossed the distance to her face, similar to the warmth of an embrace.

She took a second deep breath, the air turned into more exhilarating flames; one more and the fire was dancing in yellow and red to Korra. It didn't hurt or burn, a heat from within ( she assumed Raava) came through her and soon a figure formed by her own raw energy. Directly under the lion-ram, a strong warrior sat looking down, eyes closed.

He had his chest and arms completely bare, with the exception of bands and bracelets purely made of gold tied around muscles and wrists. His hair was tied with traditional fire nation pins and attire, his ears completely covered with golden rings and piercings. He wore no shoes but had dark pants and thin yellow strings of cloth enclosed the waist down.

She made sure to copy his hands' placement. The _ram_ mudra consisted of bending the thumbs in the palms placed together to form a leaf shape, all in the height of the stomach. This chakra represents the basic flow of energy and will in the human body, she thought, balancing the chi; consequentially blocked by shame. What did Korra feel ashamed of? What are her biggest disappointments in herself?

The lights cast by the sun in the horizon seemed to shift. Looking at the atmosphere around her and focusing, in a few seconds Korra could distinguish the shapes of towers, bridges and buildings. The famous outline of Republic City was gleaming in yellow and gold, standing tall and proud (with a touch of nostalgia). There was no reflection in the water however, and its appearance was that of the night instead of day.

The lion-ram jumped over them, quickly and effortlessly moving from rock to rock. The grass that had been touched by the spirit's paws were now burnt and charred, as a sign of the path it made. Another flock of flames puffed with its breathing and, as they left its nostrils, Korra found herself surrounded by blue fire this time, incredibly hotter once they transformed around her. They cascaded and shifted, an epic fight between colors and different shades.

With the blue's new indifference, another place appeared for her: an isolated compound in the snow, empty igloos floating around, all decorations ruined with dark purple. Korra's jaw dropped, she had never seen such types of colors before. An even darker shade of blue blazed, it formed the shape of the first dark spirit she had met and failed to purify, back when she was around 20 years of age. It flickered for a few seconds and took a hard look at the woman. Dull, expressionless and hopeless. She understood.

"I feel ashamed of my ignorance, my moments of selfish oblivion to the rest of the world. I'm ashamed of never properly getting to know my own culture, as I let myself get lost in ingenuity and blindness...I never considered the conflicts with spirits, by doing so I was easily deceived by Unalaq and he was able to free Vaatu, and I could do nothing but watch. Too many spirits had their energy corrupted, many lives were lost in this senseless conflict." She looked again at the spirit in front of her. "The worst is that….It could all have been avoided if I had been more careful and thoughtful. But instead I was humiliated by my own disregard of the people."

She couldn't help but let out a sigh and it triggered the spirit: all the fire present catapulted together in the direction of the avatar sitting in front of her. He opened his eyes as the flames brought him to conscience. She heard his voice travel to her, she looked up:

"I am avatar Zei Kan. Take this advice: do not let your regrets cloud over your thoughts." He had a strong accent, Korra had never heard anything like it. "Young avatar, you have grown and changed since your early youth. Never overlook change. It is constant and necessary for humans; staying the same becomes fatal." He looked to the once dark blue spirit and more images flashed around them, returning to their warm yellow shade. "Spirits now live together with animals and men. There are conflicts indeed, but wanting world peace is futile. The world will always have problems and misunderstandings, that brings the avatar spirit. Not to terminate the bad, but to balance it out with the good... Your choices were well intended and you insistently fought for the better outcome, young avatar. Know your remorse and set them right. I do not mean for you to ignore and forget, but to use this experience in your favor, to motivate you and become your willpower to do the right thing, only thinking on the days of now."

With that, Zei Kan, the now known historical fire avatar, dissipated inside the lion-ram. Their forms galloped with fire taking the forms with its hooves, giving it strength and acceleration. They reached Korra's abdomen and burned down to her core, her stomach deeply burned once again. Another weight lifted from her shoulders and she let the breath long held.


	5. Air

AIR . Heart chakra

Even with the trip to the Air Temples in mind, Korra found herself in the Earth Kingdom. Opening chakras was an intense spiritual experience, and the next one would most definitely show itself in the old air nomads homes. Everything wasl pointed that way: it was the journey midpoint, there was the love symbology and autumn season time. It all fit very well.

But Korra still had some time to kill after all; she had just managed to open the Fire chakra on the day before, much sooner than expected. She decided that both her and Naga could use a break after the Fire Nation intensity.

Big mountains surrounded the two, but not snowy and cold like in the poles they knew (and missed) so greatly. Tall and green trees watched the visitors instead, hiding wild animal mixtures by their branches. Mounted on the great polar bear-dog, Korra analyzed the path leading to a small province very near. Naga followed the green road on a slow rhythm, approaching an old wood sign that showed the words _Makapu Village_.

The name didn't sound all that weird to Korra's ears. She was awfully close to Republic City, to the north of the enormous Earth continent. It was probable she had read about it on the paper or even met someone who came to mentioning it. As far as she knew it was nothing very special, exactly like she wanted at the moment.

A few steps more and a great view opened to Korra: several traditional houses gathered on the left, all varying gradients of green; in the center a bigger establishment was set higher than the others, wooden staircases and fences leading the way, three rooftops stood out proudly. The village was placed in front of one big mountain. Pine trees shielded it all very nicely from the sides. Getting closer, Korra saw uneven round doors, green arches and a few people walking to their daily tasks.

Her field of vision was cut short as Naga marched lazely, lifting dust and pebbles with her big paws along the way. Korra took the time to absorb the quietness settling in once again. Soon enough they reached the only entrance of the town: the same earth path was now presented with a tall and extended wooden arch, that cast a thin shadow with the early morning sun.

Walking in with a big polar bear-dog, water tribe clothes and powerful blue beads around her neck, it was expected the avatar would gather attention from the villagers. Some heads turned, but nothing grand, there were only a handful of people walking outside after all.

Korra gave a respectful bow to an elderly woman that was staring directly at her. It wasn't clear whether the village had a tiny population or if it was just too early for people to be wandering around the city. At any rate, Korra decided to dismount Naga, they walked calmly to the path that cut through the houses, now eye level with everyone else. Always holding Naga's leash, they got up the squeaky stairs and arrived at an external patio (which led to the beautiful house she had spotted before). Once again, Korra wondered if the patio was empty only because of the early time of day or if this could be a special place in the province.

Naga pulled to the right side of the floor, where a still big shadow waited for them. The polar bear-dog stretched her front paws and nudged Korra's arm with affection. Yet, before they could settle down properly, a flimsy sound resonated from the stairs they had just used.

Turning to look at who was approaching, Korra saw a little boy getting closer. He wore unusual yellow clothes and a hood shielded his face, body and features. What got the woman's attention was actually the small friend that was closely following the kid: a strange creature was right behind the boy, flapping its wings with ease and happiness.

Korra trusted her instincts and got up instantly, moving with awareness as she tried to decipher the figures she saw. Most likely they were spirits, but the spirits Korra needed? Could they be related to her quest? It had to be a sign to something.

The boy walked past her, his mantle gave a twirl and she could finally see better. Korra observed an animal she had never seen or heard of before. Even her knowledge of the spirit world, her travels through the four nations, it was still different: in the size of a small bird, smaller than her hand, an antelope glided the air with soft white wings of a dove, it beamed its horns and hooves soaring through the air.

Oh yeah, that was definitely something.

Korra trotted forward to follow the promising figures. The moment she caught up with them the hooded child took off running, the bird-dove animal followed gliding behind. A knowing grin formed in Korra's lips as she picked up the pace and ran after them both.

To tell the truth, it couldn't be considered a chase but more of a childish game. The boy took turns from the wooden fences and jumped on a green rooftop. He climbed with grace and showed almost no effort, all the while Korra used her strong arms to her advantage and got up with a loud _thump_. The antelope-dove kept gliding, circling the houses and showing no destiny in mind.

They kept the chase up for three more rooftops until ,not very unexpectedly, the kid started to head in the direction of the mountain placed behind the constructions they were just running on. There were no more remaining houses and the one and only dusty path seemed to be waiting for them once more.

Korra had no time to appreciate the scenery of infinite trees and water streams, sadly; keeping up with the boy and the bird was easy enough but she could feel her breathing starting to hitch as they kept getting higher and higher up the mountain. No sign of slowing down.

Then, in one special boulder, the boy lifted himself up, gave one jump over and Korra couldn't see him anymore. The antelope-dove flapped its wings happily and, just as soon, it also vanished.

Korra did the same, absolute no suspicion in mind. In a moment she understood why the figures had disappeared: on her right she could clearly identify the top of the mountain; on her left, a beautiful (even if rather small) field of black and white flowers. The famous Panda Lilies, of course.

A slight tug was felt on Korra's chest, a memory that wasn't actually there, as if trying to reach out to her own melancholy. She was now walking with more caution and a lot more curiosity. With a few steps she noticed the panda lilies were displayed around the top of the mountain, making a perfect circle as she walked around.

And yet another feeling struck the girl, of familiarity this time. Her mind instantly went back to the air kids, to Jinora, so many years ago. The yellow robes, the lights, shifting, ever changing motions. She could almost smell Tenzin's favorite, suffocating, incense and the freshly-made blue ink.

Sitting cross-legged in the black and white field was the boy Korra had followed for the last half hour, only this time there was no hood to shield away his small appearance:

"Aang"

His forehead, hands and feet proudly showed blue arrows, tattooed on the skin. His yellow robes left his chest and arms completely bare, only covering waist down until his knees. Exactly like the male airbending masters wore during and after the so special ceremony. Like Jinora looked after having just shaved her head, the only difference is that she had a tight strap around her torax too.

The antelope-dove came back cutting the air in a quick motion, it circled the area where Aang was sat (meditating with eyes closed), and with a few more movements it hid itself behind a panda lily. Korra could see its wings flapping slowly.

Taking that as her cue, Korra approached the image of Aang; she settled in front of him in full lotus and took a deep breath to start the spiritual connection. Korra looked at Aang's form and mirrored the hand placement (the _yam_ mudra consisted of resting each hand on its respective knee, connecting the thumb and the middle finger).

Focusing on her essential meeting with master Tenzin and master Jinora, Korra recalled all facts related to the fourth chakra. Located on the heart, it deals with love, joy and acceptance. Grief blocked the energy flow... What made Korra specially sad?

Just as the information crossed her mind the antelope-dove started its work. The bird-like creature flew from its recent hiding spot and, just slightly, landed his hooves on four panda lilies that were spread throughout the field. Each touched flower metamorphosed into a new antilope-dove. All tiny and in varying shades of brown, they made a total of five spirits circling around. One by one the antelopes-doves started to coordinate the flowers to their favor. Korra observed as black and white petals swirled with the movement of the wings and horns.

In the first cloud of flowers, the traditional symbol of water appeared, flowing and changing with ease; a moment later and the strong symbol of earth shot up from one flower; then it was fire's turn, the petals would move and engulf to all directions; and lastly the classic air symbol was formed, the three swirls in an eternal dance.

Looking at each of the elements formed by those beautiful flowers, Korra saw another black and white image: of herself, sitting hopelessly on the end of a cold and icy abyss, struggling to find an alternative, an answer, to fix her blocked bending, along with so many other people's. She felt again all the burdened and worrying thoughts she had considered at that moment. That had deeply marked her 19 year old mind.

Korra turned her head and observed the original antelope-dove. Within a few seconds, more petals were forming a complex image: her despised companion for what she considered to be the worst time of her life. Before so delicate, the panda lilies now were mercilessly stinging Korra with pain. She was facing a swirling wheelchair.

Months, years she had spent trying to run away from that _thing_. From her fears, from her unstopping sadness. She was sick even after her body was healed.

No... she had been broken.

Korra took another deep breath and returned to look at Aang, hoping he could give her a solution. She was taken back as he was looking different from mere minutes ago. The airbender now wore more monk-style robes: yellow folded cloth covered nicely his left shoulder, wrapped to his back with a waist band, still leaving some of his chest and back open. Loose pants were tied along his now longer legs. While Korra meditated, Aang's image had grown up a few years, along with his spirit. She steadied herself and tried her best to speak out loud.

"My past upsets me, what I have already faced and what I have yet to go through as the avatar"

Korra watched as Aang's form changed in front of her eyes. He got gradually taller, his limbs and shoulders broader. His robes remained left-sided but there was now orange mixed with the yellow; around his neck lay gracefully meditation beads (similar to Korra's) but with the Air Nation symbol carved on common wood. His waistband was now longer and orange, displaying a well-made knot on the side.

"Moments of my life that continue to chase me, when I lost my true self." Her voice quivered with emotion "I felt my purpose, my sense of being, being ripped out of me".

Aang opened his eyes with a flash of light, together with the tattoos throughout his body they glowed with Raava's power. An array of petals and feathers ensued amidst it. The five antelope-doves flew to the center, merging in one unique form that flapped its wings with astonishing grace. White, brown and black going side to side, sweeping the flowers. Aang's avatar state came to a quick end and he showed himself now as a fully grown adult, the famous image Korra was much more familiar with. Black and white petals continued to settle, slowly reassembling the circular field.

"Young Korra."

As soon as she heard his voice, so deep and caring, she didn't manage to stop a tear from flowing down her cheek. She looked up to the avatar, anticipation rooted on her features.

"Through this solitude and grief you still found acceptance with family and friends. Loved ones, that insisted on escorting and supporting you at all moments. Oh Korra, I have been in your place, in the same situation as you do. You are young to be facing trouble, just as I was. Take this advice and rest assured they will continue to do so, just like you feel a constant urge to keep them safe from life's messy horrors. Look around. They will be with you."

Korra turned to see Senna and Tonraq, standing close enough for a hug, and somehow it seemed obvious now that they had been there since the beginning. She saw her father's characteristic warrior tattoo and her mother's detailed and classic patterned clothing. They would be there, ready, if she had the need.

Next, she could see Asami standing right behind the phantasmagorical wheelchair (which curiously had not vanished). She held one of the handles loosely, absent-minded; her eyes were staring at nothing specific over her shoulder. Korra felt a tug on her insides.

Katara's old figure was silently sitting down. She had a southern water patch hanging from her shoulder, and a long gray-white braid down to her waist. Her eyes were peeking at single panda lily with subtle affection, a genuine smile on her features.

On her right, Korra glanced at Bolin, Mako and Lin Beifong. She had her arms crossed as usual, a scolding and still assuring look on her face.

Tenzin and Pema stood on the left, typical airbender clothes flowing with the breeze, patient but certain. Like the changing of seasons, constant and welcoming in her life.

She smiled as the image of Naga appeared, in a peaceful sleep, snoring in the wooden floor of the village just down below. Her loyal companion for as long as she could remember and for so many years to come.

They all had a strange white glow around them, pulsing along, reflecting Korra's beating heart.

Nonetheless, the moment for Aang to finish his speech never came, as four small figures erupted unexpectedly from the panda lilies. They had yellow robes and one of them prematurely showed the blue airbending tattoos. They ran through the field together, the same as they would do years ago. Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and Rohan; bringing innocent laughter and joy to the so bittersweet scenario. Aang immediately turned his head around to see the four children go, any words were now lost in surprise.

The tears in the man's eyes threatened to fall, bringing a big resemblance to Korra's own heavy ones.

Finally, in what seemed to be the first time ever, the universe was giving the Avatar a chance to appreciate it's raw, though still purified, beauty.


	6. Sound

SOUND. Throat Chakra.

Korra was listening the crickets and cicadas around her as if they were vibrating in her chest. Delicate bells resonated gently and peacefully in the distance, probably from inside the Southern Air Temple. She had never felt so comfortable with this much….peacefulness.

Korra had finally learned how to properly feel and understand her surroundings. How to properly be in touch with life and nature itself. Curiously, it had not clicked the way her masters had instructed, but actually, after a long period of tinkering, their philosophies were finally making some kind of sense. Like how their world functioned in a balanced cycle, slowly spinning and changing. That had always been absurd for Korra. In the middle of her spiritual journey though, she finally discovered how to set herself in the middle of it and share along with its energy.

Living beings showed themselves for her. When Korra looked around herself, her brain could foccus and tune in. flickers of light made themselves visible, telling stories, inviting her to wander and explore. Korra could point to each and every tree that had nests and singing birds in their branches. Feeling the earth, she knew exactly how many cubs were hidden away, still snoring with their faces buried in their mother's belly. From varying species, all those creatures gratefully clicked and whistled to greet the morning.

After a good night of some well-deserved rest in the Air Temple, Korra made her way to explore around the mountains. On her way, she saw monks and air acolytes in their usual calm nature. Some young ladies waved in greeting upon seeing her, they adjusted and were playing with the veil that covered their beautifully braided hair. Although Korra tried her best to hide it, her cheeks grew significantly redder as she waved back with a shy "hi". All these people were more than happy to welcome her in their home.

There was a myth that Korra had been especially curious about: an ancient hidden society, living in this very region, shielded away from the rest of the world for centuries on end. Unfortunately, Korra hadn't had the pleasure of encountering those people (or spirits, as far as anyone knew) yet.

Naga's steps behind her were heavy as always, disrupting the relaxing atmosphere in a funny way. She lazily followed Korra, walking down the long staircases. It took them about thirty minutes to get halfway down the mountain where the main constructions were. After squeezing around bushes and following old forsaken rocks, Korra found herself in a beautiful glade, right in the middle of the closed tree branches.

There were statues laid in the grass and white stone paths circled the area. Everything looked restored, it was very probable the air nomads visitited to keep it clean and meditate, from time to time. Korra felt a different energy in her lower stomach, she decided to stay and see what they had to offer.

She was now sat in front of a silent pond, on the other side was a statue with horns and a muscled chest; around it, symbols were carved in stone completing a very intimating piece of a bull. Even from their different position, it seemed to hang above her head.

There was a silent hum in the air, like some bees were working together to build a castle made out of leaves and little monkeys were playing hide and seek in branches. The grass underneath Korra was cool and humid and, in the waters of the lake, some birds drank and chippered with no concerns in mind. Korra settled in full lotus position and moved her hands to the ham mudra: palms and fingers close, thumbs up in the height of her breasts. Feeling her breathing with ease, she exhaled deeply. This was becoming incredibly natural.

Once her mind opened completely to the meditation, everything seemed to come at once. Korra saw her reflection in the lake change as she patiently watched: her tattoo disappeared, leaving a blue armband in place. Her hair grew long and tight around three wolf tails around her round face. The blue clothes morphed around her body and her ceremonial necklace vanished. Korra stared at herself, seventeen years younger in the least, and she felt some sort of sadness (or even a ting of regret). She looked at her young reflection again, deciding that it was around the time she had discovered about Raava and Vaatu, the great spirits, around the time of the last Harmonic Convergence.

Korra returned to think on the fifth chakra: truth, communication and clarity. Important parts of a human being, one could not overlook it. But things were confusing now, she couldn't tie in why the lake was displaying her younger self, and what it really had to do with the concept of truth. Korra instantly felt her throat burning as a warning, she focused again on her surroundings.

Soon enough, the stone bull above started to move almost angrily. Rocks of the statue moved and cracked with its neck shift, falling and trying to create space for the movement. Its long horns came forward in response, and his nostrils puffed deeply. As Korra watched all this evolve, she could now hear the ceremonial bells better; the humming was stronger in her ears than before and even a water flow was slightly present too.

An old saying came to her mind, something she knew had not been said to her directly, but still roamed around her thoughts and, more importantly, her spirit. She spoke out loud:

"The biggest lies…" Pause. Suddenly, the facts came together, like when you find the exact puzzle piece you were looking for. The meaning of this energy point and why things seemed different than usual. Why the old memory in the lake. Korra continued slowly "...The biggest lies are ones we tell ourselves."

The stone bull resonated in approval as it was now making an even bigger affair of it all. Dark and ovally shaped rocks cascaded down, mimicking the sound and flow of a waterfall towards the bull's center. It could have been only Korra's imagination, but she saw some of the other statues moving around and putting things back into place.

She turned her head back to the pond just in time to see more changes. This time the water was vibrating too, propagating in circles, especially around her face. Her hair gradually grew slick and black, now tied in a practical braid instead of the ponytails. Her eyes and chin changed greatly, getting thinner and lighter second by second. Her clothes were turning green and grey, instead of the cool blues that Korra preferred. Now came the most contrast between the both: her shoulder blades became covered, not only in long sleeves but also with metal pieces. The woman's collar had more green fabrics and her hands now wore white gloves. A beauty mark appeared on her cheekbone, just below her left eye.

There was no mistaking that this was the image people associated with the 'Great Uniter' title. Someone Korra still got to visit now and then, always in the same misery since the day of their last fight: Kuvira.

Once she realized where this situation was heading, Korra took a deep calming breath. She felt her internal organs burn with energy, ready for the challenge. Korra knew she would be facing Kuvira again, metaphorically speaking. But instead she had expected to see her in the first chakra, along with Zaheer and Amon. Sadly, she still had her part to play.

Kuvira's situation was definitely unexpected. A young girl traumatized in childhood and incredibly gifted, only to lose control when she finally achieved it. With the opening of the third spirit portal, Korra had realized their goals were the same: to help their people and to maintain order. They both made mistakes in their journey, and this is what this experience was about in Korra's case.

The spirit portal has also been the ultimate proof of how far her powers could stretch. She would never forget the overwhelming sensation and certainess of that moment: pink and purple energy in all places at once, a primal force inside her urging and letting her free. Bending the spirit energy blast was unforgettable.

And her reflection was changing one last time in the lake: the green tight clothes became old rags, in brown and red. All resemblance to metal or "cleanness" disappeared, torn clothes took place. The braided black hair grew lighter and completely free, together with a red overused scarf. The face was now masculine and soft, with heavier eyebrows and a growing beard.

Avatar Wan. The image before her was the origin of their world known as today; the source of guidance that connected all of their lives, together in a string of glowing white eyes.

He had the same hand and leg placement, closed eyes, around forty years old. Sudden relief was growing in Korra. She was finally at the point she needed to be.

One last glance to the bull ahead gave her the confidence to continue diving deep. What lies had she told? What did she hide? What Korra had tried to convince herself of?

A patrol of instruments seemed to invade the woman's ears as soon as her thoughts aligned with the ceremony. She listened the weeping of an erhu, and the comfort of the loving kalimba, the keys of a marimba calling to play and feel the world. The stone bull, even with such massive and destructive nature, followed the music with its horns and muscles, with seemingly flow. Her neck burned once again in warning.

Wan's eyes opened in the avatar state, too impatient to wait anymore. Korra felt Raava's pushing response inside herself, aching with happiness and excitement. Two spirits bonded together for eternity, that were now also her own. Raava had clearly been the one to allow Korra's meetings with Lishiamo, Yutae and all the others. But this was so different… a complete new relationship.

"It took me too long to understand the avatar in itself. I feel I have been stuck in a paradoxical loop. I was led to believe I would always be high above everyone, the 'almighty avatar'. I was taught everyone was obliged to obey me. Not necessarily _me_ , Korra, but me, The Avatar. Therefore, I could never afford to be wrong because that would cost the world. That is why Unalaq and Zaheer were able to crush me so badly, because I couldn't forgive myself for my silly mistakes." She was holding up her breaths. "For a long time I viewed myself different from Amon or Kuvira… I couldn't be like them, they were the bad guys, but where does that put me? And, nevertheless, deep down, I used to tell myself I would never truly be the avatar...I couldn't belong in the same pedestal as Aang and Kyoshi do."

The light quieted down in Wan's eyes, now instead with warm and delicate amber looking at her with pride. When his quirky smile finally gave in to talk, his voice seemed what it would be like to speak to an old, old memory:

"You have changed much, avatar Korra. The physical and spiritual worlds have now re-joined, completing my personal mission. Now, we are one."

Inside, she could distinctively feel Raava, moving and flowing towards her old friend, demanding a reconnection. Wan continued, leading on another smile:

"For there to be balance, there exists no 'good' and no 'bad'. Your antagonists have, just like you, envisioned a way to fix problems. And us, on our own accords, have made plenty of mistakes as well. But now you follow the single truth, avatar Korra. See that this is not a discussion of ideology, but of true spirit. You need to stand on the perfect balance of intellect and emotion, always between the brain and the heart." He pointed to his throat, exactly where the burning was more intense.

"If there are no distinctions of 'good' and 'bad', then how can I be sure of what needs to be stopped and what does not?" Many times had Korra pondered on wisdom and whether her decisions had been fair or not. This spiritual journey was the first time she had ever drawn from her past lives, which was tragically ironic.

"You will be lost and uncertain in many times of your life. But if your energy is truly clear, you will act accordingly. Always doubt and question your surroundings, but keep in mind that nothing can be right or wrong, only of a different direction of flow. There's never a need to question yourself. You _are_ the avatar and soon it will be your turn to guide and share wisdom. And during your life, you shall always have guidance, whatever the source may be. Stay true to who you are deep inside, and we shall not disappoint."

A strong gulf of air pushed Korra's lungs, the stone figure above them drifted with stubbornness and the smaller rocks started to fall in their original place *tec tec tec tec tec*. The other statues were going back to their spots. Nervousness did not creep though, Korra could feel this was not their last talk by a long shot.

Wan looked up, almost as if looking at the sky and the leaves flowing, and his image vanished in water circles, leaving only vibrations in the lake. The stones growled one last time and the bull abruptly stopped, completely frozen like a statue should be. Korra couldn't tell if this had been his original placement or not.

And for a millisecond there was nothing. No bells, no instruments, no birds, no movement. Emptiness. Korra released a deep breath and her mouth opened autonomously; hot air escaped her lungs in a muffled attempt to calm her body. Energy flew down her throat as she felt the burn ease gradually.

She scrunched her shoulders breathing normally again. The bells and birds and all the other tiny creatures were back. The sense of relief continued with her even after Wan was past gone. Just a vibration in her mind.


	7. Light

LIGHT. Third Eye chakra

Heavy snow surrounded them from all directions. Korra's muffled footsteps echoed in the tundra along with the sound of the unforgiving winds cutting the air. Naga was trotting ahead, eagerly sinking her paws in the snow the same way she did as a little cub.

The two of them had finally returned home.

Korra followed Naga's pace, intently feeling the environment. There was an incredible amount of energy locked in, all mixed up with emotions and stories. She approached the village with attentiveness, Naga soon followed. It was tiny in the middle of that white ocean, about twelve constructions in total.

Igloos in the Southern Water Tribe were smaller and more domestic compared to the flashy northern structures, but they were still persistent. Although Korra was walking carefully and even hesitant, she knew their works had not only value but strength, raw force that kept the southerners going. The problem in her mind was that everything had shrunk... Korra had become too tall; her shoulders, too broad. The roles had been switched: the village from her early childhood, the one that had protected her so many times, was now small and fragile. She, as the avatar, now had the duty to help and give support.

She turned on the far left side were there some abandoned structures. The igloo in the middle still had dark brown furs around the walls for better warmth. Wood sticks and bones remained properly tied with leather and other decorations. It was empty, differently from the others, no one had dared touch it seemed. Blue, blocky paint adorned the uneven ice: scribbles of a child and one big, heavy hand, trying to help with drawings.

Korra's simple and now forgotten life. Her gut clenched as she laid her left hand in a particular drawing of an otter-penguin. They were her favorite.

When she first talked about the sixth chakra with her masters, many possibilities had come to mind: the Water Palace, where her parents lived; Air Temple Island, where she had evolved and changed the most; Republic City, where she found friends and a continued family. Master Tenzin had even mentioned the compound where Korra spent most of her early days, but the idea was shot down once he saw her face of distaste.

Korra sensed this tiny village differently compared to the others. The igloo, in special ,had an appeasing, comforting warm glow, inviting her to come in, as a promise that it would always be there as shelter if she needed. Korra took another look around, absorbing the familiarity of it all.

She bent her body down to crawl through the entrance, her arm gently brushed the heavy materials. It was dark and ominous inside the hut. Shadows of her memories had the shape of objects, literally frozen in time. Korra managed to stand up to see the oval room, an unexpected thought occurred to her as if manipulated by the setting: would she still be living here if she had turned out to be nothing other than a waterbender?

This seemed the wrong way to start the meditation. Nevertheless she couldn't stop wondering. Melancholy hit her as she realized how everything had turned upside down. Each step of this journey was bringing her closer and closer to the truth, so why did she still feel so incredibly lost?

A gleam then came from outside, shimmering tones of cold purple and golden yellow caught her attention. She returned her focus to the third eye.

She managed to see a figure moving gracely, but differently from the antelope-doves' flight pattern. There was no rush or anxiousness: the purple darker tones flowed like a river, following one great source and bending to the location's will. A cylinder of light. Glancing anotger time, it was like a wild beast was breathing, moving slowly but changing its rhythm every second. The form flashed in Korra's direction, not waiting for her response as it passed through her body. For a second she felt she was purely made of photons.

Her breath hitched immediately after and she resisted the urge to run away, to forget the old stories and leave the past alone, quiet, how it should be. A test of her determination.

The vision was shaky and completely blurry, proving the otherworldly origins. The spirit's skin was soft and looked tender, the golden lines formed the idea of rivers of light journeying through its body. It resembled a dragon, with its long spine covered with tiny feathers. The scales and colors changed accordingly with the space. It didn't look like the dragons she had seen in the Fire Nation, or even the stone statues scattered around the world. The impression Korra had was that of a child's wonder, from someone's imagination.

It hovered around the igloo, illuminating wherever it touched inside the old home. It was irradiating the purest of lights on her memories. She felt stuck to the ground and, at the same time, hovering with no reaction.

The spirit settled to face Korra, though its body seemed unable to stand still. The fleecy tail continued to flow on all directions, sending vibrations to the rest of the cylindrical body. She then managed to take a better look: its muzzle was small and also had feathers to cover a bird-like beak. On the back of its head stood two undulating horns, they appeared to be made of light wood. Against its back were two enormous wings, transparent and shining with glee. They burst in pink shades the farther the wings were from the body.

Korra bowed in respect. She then sat cross-legged in full lotus directly facing the lights. The _ksham_ mudra consisted of touching the tips of the thumbs and middle fingers together, pointing upwards. The hand took the shape of an upside down heart, elbows bent.

The butterfly-dragon shook its body, from the thick neck, to the core of its stomach, to the base of the tail. It was gradual and heavy. After a sweep of its broad wings, a single golden feather fell to the floor. Once it touched the surface, it liberated a flash of light that brought a new image to the scene. A kid.

The child was small as she was kneeled on the snow, eyes closed and looking down. She had a blue parka on and dark brown colored skin. Her short hair was tied in a high ponytail. Korra took a calming deep breath as she watched her younger self, back in the time she would call that igloo her one and only home.

Korra thought on the meaning of the famous 'third eye' chakra. It values intuition and focus, blocked by illusion. What blocked insight? What is the biggest illusion for her?

Surprisingly, nothing new appeared, instead Korra simply watched her younger self shaped by the beautiful butterfly-dragon behind. Its body was in constant and slow movement. She understood they were waiting for her to speak, only herself could find an answer.

"I fell into my own illusion of unbalance. Because of the teachings and rules of the White Lotus, my concept of freedom was practically nonexistent. They told me I was not like others, I couldn't be. I had to be superior. A spiritual being, here to maintain order and to save people. I hated myself when I made mistakes, because I believed the avatar never would. I can now understand that the avatar is composed of equal parts: spirit _and_ human." Korra looked down at her little self, eyes closed, purple light glowing her face. "For long, I thought that to become an adult I would have to leave my childhood behind and everything I ever treasured. But that is the opposite of what I need. For me to achieve enlightenment, I understand that I need equal parts of both. The knowledge of what happened in my past is what continues to shape my future, I can't leave it behind for that is not true balance." The lights were stronger now, the tail of the butterfly-dragon was swinging with more strength and energy.

"My role is to be myself, and to do what I feel is right, to believe my own judgement. I have Raava, Wan and Aang with me. I am balanced and my spirit is unbendable. That is where my vitality comes from."

The butterfly-dragon moved around the room, more feathers fell into the ground. Korra's young version looked up and opened her eyes. They were white, shining in the avatar state.

When masters Tenzin and Jinora were explaining to her about the sixth chakra, they said it was a tricky one. Since it was so popularly known, there were too many different descriptions of it. Each past guru talked about it with their own teachings. Seeing as small Korra hadn't yet come back to normal, she knew there were still missing pieces to the meditation.

The light chakra. Intuition, knowledge. _Self_ knowledge, that is. Now came the hardest question of all, one she needed to know the answer if she wanted a shot at reuniting with her past lives. _Who Korra truly is?_

She took a deep breath "I am a bender of all elements. I am adaptable like the water but resistant as earth. I can be powerful as fire, free and peaceful like the air. But these can not completely define me." Her strong voice reverberated every word. "I am also a stubborn girl. Curious. The same girl that ran away just to see the lights of the big city! At the same time, I am a millenar spiritual leader. People rely on me, they always have. The ones in need come to me for what I represent: I am a symbol of hope, an example set by the ones before me then confirmed by my own actions. I _am_ the Avatar."

A blinding flash of light forced Korra to abandon her mudra position. She shielded her face, terribly scared she had said the wrong thing. Had she finally misinterpreted one of her energy points? Was she supposed to have kept the meditation stance for longer? Were the past avatars lost forever? No, it just couldn't end here.

She felt a sharp pain entering her forehead, drowning her thoughts. Her hands automatically reached her forehead, she didn't manage to stop her throat from letting out a sharp scream. Her body doubled its normal pace making her lungs burn inside out.

It was all gone now. Korra blinked a few more times, left only with a light headache. There were no more images in the igloo. Any trace of small Korra was gone and the butterfly-dragon, even though it had left some of the objects glowing, was nowhere to be seen.

She got up, forgetting any rules and traditions. She crawled out of the igloo, somehow feeling even bigger and bulkier than before, she wasn't breathing right. Korra finally got outside. She searched if Naga was near, or if the dragon was still waiting for her to finish. Her jaw fell as she looked up to the dark sky with glowing eyes, instantly filled with water once she realized what they were.

When Korra was around five years old, she once asked her father why they couldn't see the _aurora borealis_ from their village. Tonraq, honestly having no idea why, explained that those lights only appeared in the Northern Tribe. For years, people argued what the aurora borealis were, if they were truly spirits, and why they had never appeared in the South.

Korra looked up and, for the first time, she saw the dancing lights in the night sky. In overlaying pinks, purples, greens and yellows. The lights shifted in perfect harmony, slowly and happily. Like the body of a flying dragon, they cascaded down to the center and the breaches formed scales and beautiful feathers. The forms pulsed and circled the air. Korra felt like a child, wanting to reach her hands up to touch it.

For the whole six months that followed, the tiny village in middle of nowhere watched a unique _aurora polar_.Illuminating the region and marking it for everyone to see, and feel instant pride of their culture and of their homes. The elder population that still resided there had no explanation as to what that was or why.

Korra took the chance to spend one last night at the old igloo. She barely slept, always shifting to see the lights and hear the sounds. Eventually Naga managed to squeeze inside as well. It was a good night.

They left early in the next morning, Korra was finally prepared to say goodbye and to never revisit again.


	8. Cosmic Energy

COSMIC ENERGY. Crown chakra

It was finally time. Korra was as ready as she ever would be.

She had left Naga at the Water Palace. Despite the strong resistance from the polar bear-dog, eventually she gave in and agreed to stay behind. As she was leaving, Korra tried her best not to see or be seen by anyone, in special her parents; she knew that if she encountered them, even for a mere second, she would want to give up on her quest.

A few hours later and she was crossing the spirit portal and heading to the opposite portal. Korra carried nothing but the clothes on her body, everything else had been left with Naga.

Once in the Northern Water Tribe, she followed her gut and headed to the place that had the biggest spiritual presence in their culture, since the very first days of the avatar: the Spirit Oasis, home to probably the strongest and most important spirits for waterbenders in general. Tui and La.

Days ago during their meeting, masters Tenzin and Jinora had refused to give their personal opinion on the last chakra. They offered advice on how to proceed with the meditation itself, explained to her where Aang had failed and, most importantly, why. But they never suggested a place to go like they had with all the other ones.

The crown chakra was special, the hardest type of energy to set free to roam through your body. Some call it the bridge from the human mind to the universe as a whole, she also knew what it would lead to happen.

The world needed it to happen.

Korra walked through the tall temple that marked the entrance to the Oasis. It was the first time she had ever seen it but she could sense a strong familiar pull towards it.

Her breath was immediately taken away by the beauty of the place. Past the circular wooden door was a big lake protecting a small grass patch and the Koi Fish Pond, as it was called. None of the bodies of water here were frozen, in fact the air was miraculously warm and cozy, somehow the open sky there presented brighter stars than in the other parts of the land.

The two bridges that led to the pond were small and looked extremely fragile. Ancient. The waterfall that stood behind the temple had a constant flow of water but Korra couldn't hear any sound coming from it.

Once she reached the end of the short bridge, Korra took off her boots before stepping on the grass. As her skin came in contact with the leaves, Korra felt strong energy waves running through her body, she was surrounded by purity of it. She approached the circular pond and observed the structure that stood behind it: a traditional spiritual gate engraved on wood to symbolize the merging overlap between the physical and spiritual worlds.

About 50 years ago, Aang had meditated here to seek the spirits' help. And on the same day Princess Yue gave up her life to save the Moon Spirit, at this place they became one. Or better, they went back to one being.

Seemed appropriate as a closure to her journey. Whether it would end up to be heroic like Aang's story or tragic like Yue's, that was another matter entirely. It was honouring to see everything with her own eyes. Korra respectfully bowed to the Koi Fish; Tui and La were swimming in a perfect circle, their eternal dance where balanced opposite forces pushed and pulled, never touching and never getting further away from each other.

Korra then sat under the wooden spirit gate, she settled in full lotus position and took a deep breath closing her eyes, calming her interior. A second later she opened them and saw it:

They were all there, every single one, she was sure. Across from the pond in front of Korra, floating just centimeters above the lake, light spirit forms of all the avatars were sitting cross-legged in deep meditation. Some were old people, the centuries old masters, but it also surprised her to see two or three very young children there as well. They all stood together in the same glory and sharing of the same will.

She recognized some faces: Aang was right in the front alongside avatar Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk and Yangchen. Korra couldn't see all of them, but she managed to recognize Yutae and Zei Kan a little farther in the back. Lishiamo and Wan were probably reaching the entrance of the lake as there were about one hundred faded white figures. Looking again, the spirits all seemed to be in a peaceful sleep state.

Seeing them all there, patiently waiting for a reunion with Raava and Korra's spirit, it all made her head go dizzy and her heart sorrowful. They were so close now… she needed to succeed.

Korra interlaced her fingers with the ring finger pointing up, right thumb on top of the left one. She lifted her hands to the height of her chin to complete the _om_ mudra. Her eyes focused directly on the past avatars, barely blinking. She took a deep breath and meditated on the crown chakra on the very top of her head.

Very few people in the Four Nations' history had become a _Mahatma_ , that is, a Great Soul. A person that opened the last chakra successfully and lived the rest of their lives as a guru. They all had the same characteristics though: they learned to separate anxiety for the future, from the reality of the present; unanswered questions such as "what is my place?" and "why am I here?" had vanished for them, losing all meaning. By connecting to the Universe, there was no reason to worry or wonder about the impossible. Some isolated themselves looking to find peace while many walked the world to share their wisdom with others. They all had no attachments to their life nor any fear of dying, walking miles barefoot and only carrying water with them.

Korra's focus now was to think like them, aspire to become one of them. The avatar must put the world's needs before their own personal beliefs, and that meant Korra had to leave it all behind. Without the knowledge of the past, the future would most certainly lead to chaos, as true balance demanded sacrifices.

She thought of what attached her to this world, what mattered most to her, what would make Korra give up everything for?

From the high stars above, Korra saw specs of light shooting down like meteors. Their glow was significantly different from the avatars', these were sharper and had a silver aura to them. The shiny lights danced in the air and moved freely around.

The more the lights moved, the more definition they gained to their shapes and forms. One of the flashes reached the pond and circled the water following Tui and La's rhythm. A few seconds passed by quickly and four figures shot from the water.

Standing in front of her, Korra saw Toph and Lin and right behind them were Bolin and Mako. Each one had influenced her life in a unique way, they all had shared their own strength with her. Korra loved and admired them deeply.

She stayed still as they walked past her, crossing her physical body with their silver essence. Each one that passed she could feel a pull at her heart and stomach. Korra fought the urge of looking back to see them go once the four of them had crossed. She couldn't look back, it would be the proof that she wasn't ready, that she wasn't able to go through with it.

Korra took a deep breath and watched as another light shape sprint through the skies as it circled the pond. First, three spirits merged from it, then later another two. She saw Katara's old figure, her hunched back and her braided hair; beside her were Tenzin and Pema. The three of them symbolized her past with Aang, but they were also her support, her reinforcement and encouragement to keep going and to keep fighting. They had taught her how to protect herself and how to love others. It hurt even more to imagine them leaving.

The three of them passed through her at the same time, she felt every inch as they got closer, every step they took towards her. And then they were gone.

Korra had no time to think or regret her choice once the next two spirit forms in front of her started marching as well. Her parents.

Senna and Tonraq were smiling, they looked proud of their humble beginnings and proud of Korra's many achievements. They were at the core of her origins and the ones she needed to show the outermost respect and gratitude for their consistent care.

Instead of walking though, the image of her parents' memories reached down and engulfed Korra's body in a hug. She felt their spirits fading through her as the hug melted away from her grasp. Her heart beat faster and her breathing stopped for a second. She couldn't see, but she had to feel the intense pain as they went. It finally made the tears start forming in Korra's eyes, both from the physical and psychological pain she was feeling in that moment.

Korra was now breathing harder, her eyes stung. She pushed past, ignoring all of it, focusing on the avatars in front of her: Zei Kan's willpower reached her along with Lishiamo's strength, reminding her of the purpose of this quest.

Although she had the thoughts clear in her mind, it didn't stop the wet tears from rolling down her cheeks. Korra did not dare moving even an inch from the mudra and, regardless of her body begging her to stop, she kept going.

One more light descended to circle the pond and four more ghostly images, four pairs of feet gracelly touched the grass. Korra watched nostalgically as Jinora, Ikki, Meelo and Rohan calmly paced around in her direction. Differently from the visions back at Makapu Village, the four of them were now grown up. They all had blue master tattoos except for Rohan, of course, who was still fifteen years old. Their expressions were soft, they wore the clothes Korra had last seen them on.

The air kids represented for Korra the bright future ahead, it was the safety of a nation she had fought tooth and nail to guarantee. She was their safeguard and their protector, looking out both for their physical and personal wellbeing. And thanks to their close relationship, the Air Nation was more prosperous now than it had been in the last 200 years. All thanks to these kids; kids that she would soon need to start referring to as adults.

When they passed through her body, it was like being tickled by a feather. Korra had never felt such gentle and light energy going through her before, and it only worsened the stinging pain on her stomach.

But again, refused to turn around and look back.

Then, the last one of the cosmic lights shot down to the pond, stronger and brighter than any of the previous ones. Korra observed as the light pulsated every other second until two spirits emanated from it, dissipating all of the light that was previously in the pond.

Naga and Asami were standing right in front of her. More tears started to roll down korra's eyes as she was reminded of every good memory she ever had with them, and all of that she had learned to love and appreciate most in her life. Naga's tail wagged from one side to another, Asami had her hand on the polar bear-dog's head as she gently caressed it.

They slowly walked together in her direction. Naga went ahead running, she barked at Korra, which only made the woman chuckle and smile sadly at her companion. Once she jumped through Korra's body, she saw all of their past together. The little pup she had saved from the freezing snow back in the South, she saw as Naga grew up and followed her everywhere she went. And she saw herself, not more than the day before, leaving her behind to finish the task.

Naga's loyalty and unshaken love would still be there for her, forever.

Lastly, Asami walked silently in a slower pace than all of the others. Her spirit kneeled down as Korra felt a gentle hand on her cheek, wiping away some of the tears. A smile spread across her features and she reached up to lay a kiss on korra's forehead.

Asami moved past Korra's body, forcing her to say goodbye, to let go of all that she found beautiful and pure in the world. Naga's and Asami's spirits continued their walk, Korra could sense their breathing and their own sadness as it expanded and intensified, absorbing all of the Spirit Oasis in the sentiment. Korra closed her eyes for a second time, reminiscing all of their seconds spent together, all of that she had learned. She gave herself a few seconds to recompose, to regain her courage.

With one last deep breath, Korra let all of those attachments go, all of these people that would make her give everything up, disappearing and flowing far away from her.

Korra sensed her eyes glowing as she entered the avatar state, her spirit was transported to a different world, to a different spectrum made of ethereal matter and cosmic dust. All her tears and emotions were gone as she saw herself on a perfect rounded path made of light. At the end of the line there was a bigger Korra, a higher spirit of herself, shining in celestial pink and purple tones.

She started to walk in that direction, then she found herself sprinting down the line, running to reach her pure energy and to finally be connected. Korra extended her right arm towards it. Almost there. So so close.

Everything went white. Suddenly, all around her, everything was too bright.

Korra reopened her eyes. The avatars were still all there, and now they all had their eyes open as well. They weren't floating in the distance anymore, they were close, becoming a part of her again.

Aang was the first to stand up, he stared directly at her eyes as he approached and kneeled just like Asami had. But instead of dissipating through her body, Aang spirit materialized inside of her, fusing with her and Raava's. After that she felt them all, Roku, Kyoshi, Kuruk, Yangchen. One by one, she felt their minds merge, their lives becoming hers again. She was relieving each second and breathing in each one's life.

It felt like an eternity. Wan was the last one, his spirit embraced her, sealing their souls together for eternity.

It all came at the same time:

 _Names_ , _fears_ , _stories_ , _memories_ , _lovers_ , _enemies_ , _villages_ , _identities_ and _so much more_. Hundreds and hundreds of years of _living_ , _dying_ and being reborn. _Death and doubt and hope and love_. It came to a point where it was unbearable to Korra, she felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside, her mind was imploding. All at the same time. Her body and mind screamed together.

The figures and spirits now vanished. Korra was left to the shiny stars and the swimming of Tui and La. Alone. But not quite.

It was with that revelation that Korra's weeping begun, her chest convulsed and her muscles ached on her skin. Every cell and every organ. Her limbs were weak and her mind was an unstoppable mess.

She did it. She had them back, reconnected by Raava's light and Wan's will. All of it, inside her again.

The cycle was finally, _finally_ whole.

Korra's sobbing could be heard through the rest of the night from that point. the avatar cried for everything that she had leaned with her past lives, cried for her fears and guilt that were finally lifted from her. She cried for those she lost today, and all of the infinite lives she received today.

For hours and hours, sobs and whimpers so strong no one had ever before thought possible.


End file.
